Your pelvic floor is a complex group of muscles that help support your pelvic organs, including your uterus, bladder, and bowels. Think of it as a hammock stretching from your pubic bone to your tailbone that holds up everything in between, including your growing womb during pregnancy.
It’s no wonder, then, that both pregnancy and childbirth can take a toll on your pelvic floor. During a vaginal delivery, your pelvic floor muscles stretch up to three times their usual length to allow your baby to pass through the birth canal. Afterward, your muscles may not function in the same way.
A common postpartum complication
Roughly 24 percent of women in the U.S. are affected by pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), which occurs when your pelvic floor muscles aren’t functioning correctly. This often happens because they’ve become stretched, weakened, or damaged by pregnancy and childbirth.
Up to 50% of childbearing women have some signs of PFD, with symptoms that can begin during pregnancy or up to one year after giving birth. Other contributing factors that may increase your risk of PFD include chronic constipation, lower back injuries, obesity, endometriosis, IBS, and interstitial cystitis.
Signs and symptoms of pelvic floor issues
Some women with PFD may have only one symptom. Others experience multiple symptoms. Here are some of the most common ones to look out for:
- Pelvic pain, including muscle spasms
- Urine that leaks when you sneeze, cough, laugh, or jump (aka stress incontinence)
- Feeling vaginal heaviness or a bulge from your vagina (aka pelvic organ prolapse)
- Sex that’s painful either during or after intercourse
- Difficulty fully emptying your bladder
- Feeling like you need to urinate all the time
- Lower back pain
- Perineum pain
- Constipation
Not sure what to do?
While PFD can feel embarrassing and isolating, it’s important to know that you’re not alone—and that there are several treatments available that can help, from medication to biofeedback to physical therapy. Your symptoms may also improve naturally as you heal and recover from childbirth.
If you think you may be experiencing PFD, discuss your options with your healthcare provider. You can also read our article on when to consider seeing a pelvic floor specialist to learn more about various PFD treatments.
Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
Sources:
- University of Utah Health. “When to see a pelvic floor specialist after birth.” Accessed July 25, 2024. https://healthcare.utah.edu/womens-health/postpartum/pelvic-floor-disorders/when-to-see-specialist.
- Hallock JL and Handa VL. The epidemiology of pelvic floor disorders and childbirth: an update. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2016 Mar; 43(1): 1–13. doi: 10.1016/j.ogc.2015.10.008.Accessed July 25, 2024.
